Elena Teslova
02 July 2026•Update: 02 July 2026
Russia claimed on Thursday that its forces captured another settlement in eastern Ukraine.
The Defense Ministry said in a statement that units of Russia's "South" group of forces had taken control of the village of Pyskunivka in the Donetsk region.
Pyskunivka is located about 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) east of the city of Sloviansk.
It added that Russian tactical aircraft, strike drones, missile forces and artillery had carried out attacks on transport infrastructure used by the Ukrainian military, launch sites for long-range drones, and temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign fighters at 153 locations.
Air defense systems intercepted 631 fixed-wing drones and 11 guided aerial bombs over the reporting period, according to the ministry.
The ministry said Russia's Black Sea Fleet destroyed one Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessel in the northeastern part of the Black Sea.
Ukraine's General Staff claimed in a statement that Russian forces conducted 28 assaults near three settlements in the Sloviansk front over the past day, including the village of Kryva Luka, about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) east of Pyskunivka.
However, Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia's recent claims, and independent verification of the claims is difficult due to the ongoing conflict.
